Mortar flare shell



Jan. 4, 1944. G. H. SHEA MORTAR FLARE SHELL Filed Aug. 4, 1942 3mm Gerald H-5hea m @4 Wv M (lama/lea Patented Jan- 4, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,228,132 MORTAR FLARE SHELL Gerald B. Shea, United States Army,

La Jolla. Ca

Application August 4,

3 Claims.

(Granted under the 1942, Serial No. 453,541 (01. 102-87) or March 3, 1883, as

act amended April 30, 1928; 3'10 0. G. 251) The invention described herein may be manufactored accused by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to particularly to flare-bearing projectiles which small, mobile artillery such invention to provide a a projectile which is readily small bodies of troops and a brilliant light upon impact. provision of a in which a body and is Upon impact, the it earth, holding the flare-projectile substantially at the impact angle. is ody to slide Thereupon. strikers mounted in an end cap or tailpiece strike ignition means on the rod, igniting the charge. Motion or the body and end cap relative to the rod serves to knock of! the cap, permitting the charge to burn and safely use which produces object is achieved by the charge-containing projectile y through the rre ly.

The single on its side, which circumstance might occur in rocky or frozen terrain into which point 8 might not penetrate.

od 8 relatively to body 2 is prel the projectile. Just before firing of the prol nut i2 will be screwed to the position shown in dotted lines, at l Inside body 2, a support ll is secured to rod 8 by suitable means l5 such as welding, and lo igniting the illuminant ried thereby. The

the nature of charge I.

as a guide to ment of rod 6 in body 2. of body 2 is the portion it in which support it is adapted to slide. Ears or tabs may be provided on body 2 to limit motion or the rod in the extruded position thereof.

An end cap for bod of a tailpiece 22 which has a central bore 2 slldably receive the end cap 22 for cooperation with the help 20 The cooperating part open end of body 2, assi in maintaining 3e alignment of cap 22 on the A key 28 pivotally secured at 30 to rod 8, fitting in slot or recess 32 of the ro etc that recess 6 has a sloping wall 38 which is adapted to earn key 28 into slot 32. The c ard face of cap carries strikers M) which and set on the ignition means it up of the projectile.

Tailpiece 22 will also preferably be provided with the usual guide vanes l2, which tend to preduring flisht.

figure or the drawing is a view in vent tumbling or the projectile lonsltudinal section or a flare-proiectile made In assem fter r 8 and charge 2 have ding to the van on. been put la e in body 2, end cap 2 is A projectile body 2 of the conventional mortar slipped over the end of rod 0 an with the type is shown, avinc a cavity adap to receive end of body 2 e aging shoulder 26 of cap a charge A suitable for he intended purpose. The parts are then turned to pe it key 2 where the projectile used as a flare, the dro into annular recess 38 by gravity. Collar 12 charge will e y s bstance which upon burnis then screwed up tight, further pulling body in; gives 0 rilli t light. rod poin 2 and cap 22 together. Bo and ap 22 pre or at B, is o lo llding movem nt erably fit together somewhat snugly, so that the relativ Point I is provided to perm so friction between the mating par w hold them the projectile to stand, after impact. at substantogether even after co ar i2 is screwed to tlally the angle oi impact. The flare will thus just before until the pa are separated be round to be more eflec ive inl sh s up th upon impact, as described below. with the parts urroundlng landscape, although it should be assembled as descrlb and collar i2 screwed up understood that the wewilloperate even it lyi s ill tight against body shear pin 10 scour 2 assess? place. Theholeslnbodrlandrodlrorpinil intheartthattheproiectileoithlsinventionil may be drilled before assembly it desired. but not limited in its application to flares. It could it will generally be round expedient to drill them equally well be adap to a amok -prodllclng ter assem Operation.Beiore the prolectile is dropped 5 cendiar missiles, or the like. to the mortar. collar II is screwed as far lor- Iclaim: V ward as it will go. Th projectile is the reatLv l. n: a projectile. the combination 01' a c sing for use. It is fired from a mortar or proper caliber for holding an illuminant charge open at the tailthe usual way. Upon impact or the projectile end and provided at the nose-end with an aperwith relatively soft earth. point 8 penetrates the i0 ture. a tailpiec adapted to close th said open d the all at the angle or impact. The inertia of cess.arod slidably mountedinthe said nose aperth body and the tail assembly carries those eleture of the casing and in the said central recess of ments rorward on rod 8, shearing pin it and causthe tailpiece, a disc carried by the said rod and ing sloping race It to cam key a into slot 82. s provided on its side facing the said tailpiece Body 2 is carried forward. guided by engagement with a p imin charge. th said tailpiece being m is likewise carried forward. The distance from engaged from the tailpiece upon tailward moveunscrewed position at I! is greater than the dismd to e casing position to m the tones from strikers 40 to gnition means it, intailpiece in closed relation to the c the d suring that cap 22 will move forward far enough ide rod extending in front of the projectile nose to eifect contact between the strikers and the ig- 25 and adapted upon contact with the target to slide nition means. Furthermore, the distance i'rom tailward relative to the casing and tailpiece. the

the ignition means. These strikers contact and sli ing of the rod being eilective to contact its said set oil the ignition means, which set tire to the p iming charge disc with the en charge I. tailpiece to ignite the said illuminant charge and It should be noted further that the distance to push oil the tailpiece to expose the open end of from the forward end or body 2 to collar I: at the illuminant charged casing.

i2 is greater than the distance from the tail end 2. The combination according to claim 1 whereof rod 8 to the end oi recess 24, so that there n the said casing is provided with an internal will be a gap between the tail end or body I and a ng f c f r the said di cend cap 22. End cap 22 will be knocked oil 3. The combination according to claim lwhereend of rod 6 coming into contact with cap 22 at 40 rod to receive the said dog. and an annular recess e end of recess 24, in case the strikers break e said tailpiece. the wall or the said recess through c suppor owever. if ese expedieing sloped to cam the said dog into the said rod ents tail to dislo e t end cap upon 1m ct upon tailward movement or the rod to disenthe gases resulting from the burning of charge 4 gage it from the tailpiece. will build up sufllcient pressure to force it oil. GERALD H. SHEA. 

